Despite my lean to the left on most issues, I have always been hesitant to bash market capitalism because I think it essentially makes our way of life possible. But I always take exception to other market proponents who suggest that the government should have no role in correcting the problems caused by the same markets. It just isn't realistic. I agree that government control is a bad solution, but that isn't the same as government oversight. The metaphor I would use is that of a train. You don't want government to be the locomotive, but it would be nice for it to provide effective rails to make sure the train stays on track.
The Washington Post had a story today that again displays the need for such guide rails. It seems Circuit City has decided to fire 3,400 employees for the egregious error of making as much money as Circuit City previously deemed they were worth. The workers that were laid off made from $11 to $18 an hour.
What could the government do about it? I don't know. But it is a healthy reminder that when left to their own devices, markets can create all kinds of bad behavior.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Saturday, March 24, 2007
2007, a year of promise Pt. 2
Like music, movies were sub par in 2006. Actually, movies were much worse. I remember thinking when the Oscar nominees came out, "These were the best movies of this year?" Apparently someone thought so. I thought Pan's Labyrinth was the only really great movie of 2006, and it wasn't even nominated for Best Picture. Of course, I had to see it in 2007 because of the interminable drag between first release dates and release dates here. In related news, why isn't anyone talking about that great new movie The Godfather that just opened. Kidding. Sort of. I will be seeing The Lives of Others this weekend, so maybe I will be able to add one to the list. I must admit I'm torn whether to put movies on the list of the year I saw them or the year they were officially released (especially when it is almost April).
Anyway, even if I give 2006 all it's official releases, the list of movies I really liked is pretty short. Top 5:
1. Pan's Labyrinth
2. The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
3. The Matador
4. Borat
5. The Departed
And only the first three would make my top ten lists from the past few years. Granted, I went to the movies a lot less in 2006. I counted it up and I went to about 15 fewer movies in 2006 than in any of the three previous years. But I think that says something about how excited I was to see any of the movies that were coming out.
By comparison, 2007 is a ray of hope. Granted, I haven't seen anything really great yet. Actually I have, but as I said I am still catching up on the movies released at the end of 2006. Nevertheless I feel like 2007 offers hope, if for no other reason than it isn't 2006.
Anyway, even if I give 2006 all it's official releases, the list of movies I really liked is pretty short. Top 5:
1. Pan's Labyrinth
2. The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
3. The Matador
4. Borat
5. The Departed
And only the first three would make my top ten lists from the past few years. Granted, I went to the movies a lot less in 2006. I counted it up and I went to about 15 fewer movies in 2006 than in any of the three previous years. But I think that says something about how excited I was to see any of the movies that were coming out.
By comparison, 2007 is a ray of hope. Granted, I haven't seen anything really great yet. Actually I have, but as I said I am still catching up on the movies released at the end of 2006. Nevertheless I feel like 2007 offers hope, if for no other reason than it isn't 2006.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
2007, a year of promise Pt. 1
2006 was a pretty blase year (I still don't how to make the appropriate accent mark on blase). I don't mean for me personally. For me, 2006 was a year of large events both good and bad. But not for the world of entertainment. Movies and music both had a rough go in 2006 after a pretty decent 2005.
In music the year saw very few great releases from established bands. And there weren't many promising new bands to take up the slack. I'm a Bob Dylan fan, but I wasn't completely sharing the love for Modern Times. If I had to put out a top 5 albums they would go like this:
1. Tapes n' Tapes The Loon
2. Pearl Jam Pearl Jam
3. TV on the Radio Return to Cookie Mountain
4. Yeah Yeah Yeahs Show Your Bones
5. The Hold Steady Boys and Girls in America
These were five good albums, but the only one that has earned a permanent spot in the rotation is The Loon. I listen to the others quite a bit, but they tend to show up far less in any mix lists. I don't think that's a good sign.
But here comes 2007. As I type I am listening to Modest Mouse's newest album, We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank. It seems a return to form after the more popular, but less interesting Good News for People Who Love Bad News. Also out already are new albums from Bloc Party and The Arcade Fire. I've heard some of each and they both sound very promising. But those are just the tip of the iceberg. The next week will bring with it Because of the Times from The Kings of Leon. I have heard several of the tracks from this one, and it seems to me that it will be another shift with similarly outstanding results. Later this year we should also see new albums from Spoon, Wilco, and Interpol. There is also at least one debut that I am excited about. That is Costello Music from The Fratellis (the guys who do the song from the itunes commercial). It's the kind of energetic, funny music you can't help but enjoy. None of this means 2007 will be a musical juggernaut, but hey it'll probably be better than 2006.
I'll address the same issue with movies sometime soon.
In music the year saw very few great releases from established bands. And there weren't many promising new bands to take up the slack. I'm a Bob Dylan fan, but I wasn't completely sharing the love for Modern Times. If I had to put out a top 5 albums they would go like this:
1. Tapes n' Tapes The Loon
2. Pearl Jam Pearl Jam
3. TV on the Radio Return to Cookie Mountain
4. Yeah Yeah Yeahs Show Your Bones
5. The Hold Steady Boys and Girls in America
These were five good albums, but the only one that has earned a permanent spot in the rotation is The Loon. I listen to the others quite a bit, but they tend to show up far less in any mix lists. I don't think that's a good sign.
But here comes 2007. As I type I am listening to Modest Mouse's newest album, We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank. It seems a return to form after the more popular, but less interesting Good News for People Who Love Bad News. Also out already are new albums from Bloc Party and The Arcade Fire. I've heard some of each and they both sound very promising. But those are just the tip of the iceberg. The next week will bring with it Because of the Times from The Kings of Leon. I have heard several of the tracks from this one, and it seems to me that it will be another shift with similarly outstanding results. Later this year we should also see new albums from Spoon, Wilco, and Interpol. There is also at least one debut that I am excited about. That is Costello Music from The Fratellis (the guys who do the song from the itunes commercial). It's the kind of energetic, funny music you can't help but enjoy. None of this means 2007 will be a musical juggernaut, but hey it'll probably be better than 2006.
I'll address the same issue with movies sometime soon.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
A Bad Sign
As I mentioned in yesterday's post, sometimes a meaningless offhand comment really brings a much larger (and possibly unrelated) issue squarely into focus. Last week's Economist magazine had a story about the demise of Research and Development within corporate world. The story was interesting, and abandoning research and development activities certainly seems like a rather blatant example of the ever-increasing corporate preference for profits today over progress tomorrow.
But the paragraph in the story that really stood out to me was as follows:
Maybe I don't even need to make a comment about it, but this paragraph told me a lot about the world. Steven Drucker is a computer scientist and he is unable to get his laptop to work with his projector. At first, it made me feel better about my feeble attempts to get one piece of technology to work with another. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that what I might be seeing was proof that we have made so much progress so quickly that even scientists have troubel keeping up. Perhaps research and development could take a seat for awhile. But I, and perhaps Steven Drucker, really would like to see at least some of the resulting savings go to researching and developing the consumer experience.
(I hope that all made sense. I'm typing while watching little guys Davidson take an 8 point lead over ACC brute Maryland. Go little guys!)
But the paragraph in the story that really stood out to me was as follows:
In Redmond, Washington, Microsoft Research houses 400 researchers; it boasts another 300 around the world. Nearly all of their budget is spent on commercially orientated projects. In a windowless office Steven Drucker, a researcher on media applications, is unable to get his laptop to work with the projector. So he explains the future of home entertainment with a video on the computer screen.
Maybe I don't even need to make a comment about it, but this paragraph told me a lot about the world. Steven Drucker is a computer scientist and he is unable to get his laptop to work with his projector. At first, it made me feel better about my feeble attempts to get one piece of technology to work with another. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that what I might be seeing was proof that we have made so much progress so quickly that even scientists have troubel keeping up. Perhaps research and development could take a seat for awhile. But I, and perhaps Steven Drucker, really would like to see at least some of the resulting savings go to researching and developing the consumer experience.
(I hope that all made sense. I'm typing while watching little guys Davidson take an 8 point lead over ACC brute Maryland. Go little guys!)
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Filler
I really wanted to a post today about an article I read in the Economist, but I am having log-in issues on their website, so hopeful I can get back on track tomorrow. Not that it will be very important mind you. It's just that some things so clearly illustrate a point that you don't want to miss an opportunity.
Anyway in lieu of that post, I would like to go ahead and declare that this is one of my favorite times of the year. As an avid basketball fan, I am of course partial to tourney week. It isn't just that though. Last night, my wife and I got to spend some time relaxing on the porch, enjoying the warmer weather. I wouldn't say that spring is my favorite season, but I will say that there is no other time of the year that contains as many uncontrollable outbursts of optimism.
As for the tourney and my brackets, I am doomed to terrible picks this year. I know this because I immediately filled out my bracket on Sunday night and vowed I would not change it no matter what. Since that moment, I have seen several "expert" picks that unbelievably coincide with my own. Since they are never right, I suppose I can expect to be wrong this year as well (you know unlike all those years I have been right).
For the record, my final four is Kansas (I am not a Jayhawk fan by the way), Florida, Georgetown, and Texas A&M. Watch for at least one of these schools to be finished before the weekend is out.
Anyway in lieu of that post, I would like to go ahead and declare that this is one of my favorite times of the year. As an avid basketball fan, I am of course partial to tourney week. It isn't just that though. Last night, my wife and I got to spend some time relaxing on the porch, enjoying the warmer weather. I wouldn't say that spring is my favorite season, but I will say that there is no other time of the year that contains as many uncontrollable outbursts of optimism.
As for the tourney and my brackets, I am doomed to terrible picks this year. I know this because I immediately filled out my bracket on Sunday night and vowed I would not change it no matter what. Since that moment, I have seen several "expert" picks that unbelievably coincide with my own. Since they are never right, I suppose I can expect to be wrong this year as well (you know unlike all those years I have been right).
For the record, my final four is Kansas (I am not a Jayhawk fan by the way), Florida, Georgetown, and Texas A&M. Watch for at least one of these schools to be finished before the weekend is out.
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Poverty in the Metro
Last week I received a piece of literature from LINC titled "The Suburbanization of Poverty in K.C. Area School Districts." The point was to show that poverty was spreading out as the city spreads out. But after looking at it for a while I noticed that there seems to be a much more disturbing trend than poverty dispersion. What is really scary is that poverty is simply growing. It isn't really moving from one area to another. It is just growing everywhere.
The table that LINC sent along showed numbers from 2002-2006. It used kids receiving free or reduced school lunches as the poverty measure. In 2002, 35.3% of students in the metropolitan area (MO only) received some type of lunch assistance. In 2006, the percentage had grown to 41.7%. And it wasn't just a few inner districts dragging down the average. To the contrary, of the 22 school districts surveyed, only one (Lone Jack) didn't see it's percentage grow. Lee's Summit has more poverty. Blue Springs has more poverty. And Kansas City has more despite seemingly being so high (77.8%) that they couldn't possibly have gone up anymore.
This has all happened even as the federal poverty threshold (which is used as the basis for the lunch numbers) has increased at a slower rate than either median income or inflation. That would seem to indicate that the numbers aren't a statistical flaw, but a true picture of growing poverty. But what does that mean?
I suppose you cannot completely rule out the possibility that middle-class and wealthy families are moving to Kansas at a continually high pace. I would like to see comparative data for the Kansas side. But it seems unlikely that could account for the whole picture. What this would really seem to indicate to me (and my rather novice understanding of economic demographics) is that we are seeing a rather precipitous increase in income inequality in our area. That would fit with the way I understand the national picture, but this seems like a particularly vivid example of the local effect.
The table that LINC sent along showed numbers from 2002-2006. It used kids receiving free or reduced school lunches as the poverty measure. In 2002, 35.3% of students in the metropolitan area (MO only) received some type of lunch assistance. In 2006, the percentage had grown to 41.7%. And it wasn't just a few inner districts dragging down the average. To the contrary, of the 22 school districts surveyed, only one (Lone Jack) didn't see it's percentage grow. Lee's Summit has more poverty. Blue Springs has more poverty. And Kansas City has more despite seemingly being so high (77.8%) that they couldn't possibly have gone up anymore.
This has all happened even as the federal poverty threshold (which is used as the basis for the lunch numbers) has increased at a slower rate than either median income or inflation. That would seem to indicate that the numbers aren't a statistical flaw, but a true picture of growing poverty. But what does that mean?
I suppose you cannot completely rule out the possibility that middle-class and wealthy families are moving to Kansas at a continually high pace. I would like to see comparative data for the Kansas side. But it seems unlikely that could account for the whole picture. What this would really seem to indicate to me (and my rather novice understanding of economic demographics) is that we are seeing a rather precipitous increase in income inequality in our area. That would fit with the way I understand the national picture, but this seems like a particularly vivid example of the local effect.
Friday, March 2, 2007
Fascinating
There are places in the world that I would love to go just because of how bizarre they would seem to me. This video of a conservative convention shows me that I could find one those places right here in our own capital.
I'm sure the speakers would be great, but what would really be interesting would be just talking to the convention goers. What would the topics be? Would they fit into my stereotypes? I actually suspect that I could go to something like the Kos convention and feel the same way.
Sidebar: The Brownback supporter in the video claims that Brownback is "for the choice of a flat tax or a progressive tax, whichever helps you more." Either he's completely wrong or there is something I fundamentally misunderstand about how any tax system would need to work (I suppose it could also have been a Freudian slip.)
I'm sure the speakers would be great, but what would really be interesting would be just talking to the convention goers. What would the topics be? Would they fit into my stereotypes? I actually suspect that I could go to something like the Kos convention and feel the same way.
Sidebar: The Brownback supporter in the video claims that Brownback is "for the choice of a flat tax or a progressive tax, whichever helps you more." Either he's completely wrong or there is something I fundamentally misunderstand about how any tax system would need to work (I suppose it could also have been a Freudian slip.)
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
My Election High
Well the mayoral primary is over and we are left with two candidates: Brooks and Funkhouser. My vote in the final will be for Funkhouser, but I can truly say that I think both candidates offer more positives than negatives should they become mayor. I thought about that last night as I watched the results, and then a question occurred to me. How often does this happen? Over the past few years, we have been subjected to elections where both candidates are suspect at best and plain awful at worst.
That makes me think this mayoral race will be a treat. I hope the negative ads don't appear, though I doubt whether the candidates will have complete control over the matter. In the end, it will be nice to watch election results without it feeling like things are about to get worse no matter the outcome.
I'm not sure what's wrong with me because I usually hold a much more cynical view. But the fact is that I kind of feel this way about the 2008 presidential election as well. Maybe that has more to do with where the bar is currently set, but it is nice to know that whatever happens it will most assuredly mean a step forward. I think that is all we can ever really ask for.
That makes me think this mayoral race will be a treat. I hope the negative ads don't appear, though I doubt whether the candidates will have complete control over the matter. In the end, it will be nice to watch election results without it feeling like things are about to get worse no matter the outcome.
I'm not sure what's wrong with me because I usually hold a much more cynical view. But the fact is that I kind of feel this way about the 2008 presidential election as well. Maybe that has more to do with where the bar is currently set, but it is nice to know that whatever happens it will most assuredly mean a step forward. I think that is all we can ever really ask for.
Monday, February 26, 2007
The Queen, The King, and the Underrated Princess
Well, the Oscars went 3 for 4 (sort of). I mentioned previously that a strange phenomenon that has developed in the Academy Awards is that actors playing real people have greatly enhanced chances of winning. The streak continued last night with Best Actress and Best Actor going to biographical actors and Best Supporting Actress essentially doing the same.
In a somewhat related note, I saw Pan's Labyrinth this weekend. It was fantastic. Honestly, it was the only great 2006 movie I saw. I'm not sure if a movie can be nominated for best foreign film and best picture, but if so it should have. Of course, it didn't even win best foreign film. It was beaten by The Lives of Others, which I would very much like to see but will apparently have to wait on. Tivoli, are you on this one or what? I was also blown away by the performance of the young star of Pan's Labyrinth, Ivana Baquero. The girl from Little Miss Sunshine was great, but for pre-teen performances there was no contest.
In a somewhat related note, I saw Pan's Labyrinth this weekend. It was fantastic. Honestly, it was the only great 2006 movie I saw. I'm not sure if a movie can be nominated for best foreign film and best picture, but if so it should have. Of course, it didn't even win best foreign film. It was beaten by The Lives of Others, which I would very much like to see but will apparently have to wait on. Tivoli, are you on this one or what? I was also blown away by the performance of the young star of Pan's Labyrinth, Ivana Baquero. The girl from Little Miss Sunshine was great, but for pre-teen performances there was no contest.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Comments fixed...
I hope. Only this morning when I tried to leave my own comment did I realize that I set the settings screwed up. If you have previously felt the need to comment and been unable to do so, please feel free to try again.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
I hate it when that happens.
At least I know my book club of godless heathens wouldn't be affected.
From the Onion, of course.
From the Onion, of course.
Rapture Wreaks Havoc On Local Book Club
MARION, IN—Following last week's rapture, which transported four members of the Marion Mockingbirds Book Club to heaven in order to be with Jesus Christ, the three remaining members have reportedly been scrambling to maintain a regular Wednesday meeting schedule as well as the usual coffee-and-pastry rotation.
"It's a shame because I think Shirley had the most stimulating opinions, and I was really looking forward to hearing what she'd have to say about [Fannie Flagg's Standing In The Rainbow] right before her ascension," said club member Diane Valinsky Monday. "And we were supposed to meet at Lucas' house this week, but I guess that's out now, seeing as the armies of Satan are on the march."
Valinsky said she and the remaining members were not surprised that the Antichrist turned out to be Mitch Albom, calling his latest fiction effort, For One More Day, "disappointing."
All-Star Game
I figure I have now waited a sufficient period of time between posts to lose the interest of the the three or four of you that were reading this thing. But that is OK because I suppose it frees me from the constraints of trying to write something that might have interested you.
I will instead use this post to comment on something that is neither interesting to most people or particularly timely, since it happened 4 days ago. I refer to the NBA all-star game. Here are a few of my thoughts about the event.
1. Wayne Newton can't sing anymore and he looks like Johnny Cash, if Johnny Cash had gotten a ton of plastic surgery and hosted a game show.
2. Tracy McGrady is the most talented player in the NBA. Kobe may be better because he has more drive, but when he is healthy TMac can do anything he wants.
3. Charles Barkley is the least professional and simultaneously best TV guy in sports. You have to love it when someone who is being payed to talk shows up with a barely audible voice because he partied so hard the night before. But you can't do anything about it because he is always the most entertaining part of the show.
4. I don't know why I have always bagged on Shaq. Maybe its a case of gigantaphobia, but the guy is always having a good time and he is probably the most dominant player of the post-Jordan era.
5. Worst halftime show ever. Christina Aguilera was actually pretty entertaining. The Cirque du Solei (or however you spell that) bunch were fine, but not representative of the impressiveness of their real show. Toni Braxton was nearly inaudible (possibly a blessing), and was (I think) doing one of those dreadful song montages. My real problem with the whole thing was how it all fit together, or rather how it all didn't fit together. I remember when a strange combination was Aerosmith and Britney Spears, but that seems like Cinderella and Firehouse at the state fair compared to this.
6. I hope we get some Suns vs. Magic finals in the future. I could watch Amare Stoudamire and Dwight Howard battle in the post all day.
7. It really seems like the NBA has a chance to make a comeback with the group of young players that are out there today.
8. Everyone talks about the lack of big men in the East, but how about the lack of point guards?
9. The Mavericks should be seriously upset with all those people who wanted four Pistons in the all-start game last year because they were the best team. Where were those people this year?
I will instead use this post to comment on something that is neither interesting to most people or particularly timely, since it happened 4 days ago. I refer to the NBA all-star game. Here are a few of my thoughts about the event.
1. Wayne Newton can't sing anymore and he looks like Johnny Cash, if Johnny Cash had gotten a ton of plastic surgery and hosted a game show.
2. Tracy McGrady is the most talented player in the NBA. Kobe may be better because he has more drive, but when he is healthy TMac can do anything he wants.
3. Charles Barkley is the least professional and simultaneously best TV guy in sports. You have to love it when someone who is being payed to talk shows up with a barely audible voice because he partied so hard the night before. But you can't do anything about it because he is always the most entertaining part of the show.
4. I don't know why I have always bagged on Shaq. Maybe its a case of gigantaphobia, but the guy is always having a good time and he is probably the most dominant player of the post-Jordan era.
5. Worst halftime show ever. Christina Aguilera was actually pretty entertaining. The Cirque du Solei (or however you spell that) bunch were fine, but not representative of the impressiveness of their real show. Toni Braxton was nearly inaudible (possibly a blessing), and was (I think) doing one of those dreadful song montages. My real problem with the whole thing was how it all fit together, or rather how it all didn't fit together. I remember when a strange combination was Aerosmith and Britney Spears, but that seems like Cinderella and Firehouse at the state fair compared to this.
6. I hope we get some Suns vs. Magic finals in the future. I could watch Amare Stoudamire and Dwight Howard battle in the post all day.
7. It really seems like the NBA has a chance to make a comeback with the group of young players that are out there today.
8. Everyone talks about the lack of big men in the East, but how about the lack of point guards?
9. The Mavericks should be seriously upset with all those people who wanted four Pistons in the all-start game last year because they were the best team. Where were those people this year?
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Back To The Present
You have to hand it to the anti-evolution crowd. They are nothing if not persistent. They were defeated yesterday in Kansas as the school board reversed last year's much-ballyhooed standards questioning evolution. Yet, they vow to keep fighting:
I'm not sure what he means other than that as soon as they can get there people back on the school board, devolution will once again be in full-effect. I was astounded to read that this is the fourth time the standards have changed in eight years. Tenacity is apparently a trait that pairs nicely with absolutism.
Yet, I am holding out hope. I would feel a little hypocritical after all if I weren't willing to allow the possibility that their reasoning might just evolve a little.
“This issue is never going to go away,” said John Calvert, director of the Intelligent Design Network and a Lake Quivira resident. “You can’t keep science in a box.”
I'm not sure what he means other than that as soon as they can get there people back on the school board, devolution will once again be in full-effect. I was astounded to read that this is the fourth time the standards have changed in eight years. Tenacity is apparently a trait that pairs nicely with absolutism.
Yet, I am holding out hope. I would feel a little hypocritical after all if I weren't willing to allow the possibility that their reasoning might just evolve a little.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Something I'm Looking Forward To
A new movie from the guys who made Shaun of the Dead, possibly my favorite comedy of the last five years. The movie is called Hot Fuzz and the trailer seems to indicate more of the same.
The Limited Release is set for April 20th. When we will see it here is, of course, a mystery.
The Limited Release is set for April 20th. When we will see it here is, of course, a mystery.
Friday, February 9, 2007
I Don't Ask for Much
But this would be a dream come true. The Bolton-Rumsfeld ticket? The piece is long, but I had to read it twice just to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. I wasn't, though I think the authors must be.
As happens so often, the comments are the best part:
Hat tip to Andrew Sullivan.
As happens so often, the comments are the best part:
"Bold and brave at the same time. The Dems look like a clown act in comparison. Sign me up."
Hat tip to Andrew Sullivan.
Thursday, February 8, 2007
Maybe They'll Get a Snow Day
One of my favorite things about Congress is how they tend to behave just like 7th graders. Capitol Briefing at the Washington Post has a blog entry that features these words:
Forget about ideaology, intellectual honesty, political expedience, or any of the other infinite number of reasons you could vote for or against something. What's really important is that you get out of work a week early!
Last one to cast their vote gets a swirly.
Turning the traditional threat about Congressional recesses on its head, Reid issued an entirely different kind of recess proffer yesterday on the floor. He offered to wrap things up lickety-split this week and send all 100 senators home early, maybe even a full week ahead of schedule, for the planned week long Presidents Day recess scheduled to begin Feb. 16.
Forget about ideaology, intellectual honesty, political expedience, or any of the other infinite number of reasons you could vote for or against something. What's really important is that you get out of work a week early!
Last one to cast their vote gets a swirly.
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
What I Wish I had Written
I played an interesting game the other night with some friends where each of us had to name a book that possessed certain qualities for each of us. It was one of those list exercises that I find irresistible. We had to pick a book that changed the way we think, a book that we would want on a desert island, a book we wished we had written, etc. The primary thing I learned during the game was that I need to read more.
I also learned that when I tried to come up with "what I wished I had written," the answer wasn't a book. It was a poem by Stephen Crane.
From experience I know that the most difficult thing in the world is to say everything you want to say concisely. But this poem does it. I've never seen the feeling of one person's general insignificance so tightly and neatly packaged. Anytime I begin to sulk about my problems, a quick remembrance of this poem makes me realize that none of it is worth the worry.
I also learned that when I tried to come up with "what I wished I had written," the answer wasn't a book. It was a poem by Stephen Crane.
A man said to the universe:
"Sir I exist!"
"However," replied the universe,
"The fact has not created in me
A sense of obligation."
From experience I know that the most difficult thing in the world is to say everything you want to say concisely. But this poem does it. I've never seen the feeling of one person's general insignificance so tightly and neatly packaged. Anytime I begin to sulk about my problems, a quick remembrance of this poem makes me realize that none of it is worth the worry.
Friday, February 2, 2007
What a pisser!
I am not even sure what to make of this:
Beyond the obvious lead question of what he did with the pee, I think I would really want to know how he convinced the women that his bathroom was the official drug screening location.
Friday, February 02, 2007
Man posed as employer to get urine
From the AP: A 36-year-old Omaha man accused of luring women to his home and taking urine samples when they thought they were applying for a job was found guilty Thursday of two counts of criminal impersonation.
Victims told police Kevin Oliver said he worked for cell phone company T-Mobile and was interviewing them for jobs. Prosecutors said there never were any jobs.
"To this day, we don't know what his ultimate goal was but whatever it was it was deceptive, it was damaging and it was protracted," said Omaha city prosecutor Marty Conboy. "This went on for 18 months that we know of."
Beyond the obvious lead question of what he did with the pee, I think I would really want to know how he convinced the women that his bathroom was the official drug screening location.
Thursday, February 1, 2007
Ignorance + Indifference = KMBZ Audience
The big news story in town over the last two days has been the incident where Kansas City police officers jailed a woman who was pregnant and bleeding, but was driving a car with fake tags. The woman pleaded with officers to check her to see she wasn't lying, but they declined. The result was that the woman gave birth to a three month old baby the next day and the baby proceeded to live for one minute. Not surprisingly, there has been a pretty large public outcry over the issue. The tape shows pretty clearly that no matter the circumstances (the woman did have several outstanding warrants) the officers acted in a manner that was well beneath standards that most would consider decent.
At least that seems to be the consensus everywhere but on the area's favorite right-wing radio station. I like to keep tabs on what is going on in the separate reality that calls AM home. Anyway, the local drive time show was covering this issue at length. The hosts who have taken over for Jerry Agar were taking the side of mainstream America on this one. They were pretty consistent in their comments that the officers were in big trouble and that they should be. It all seemed very reasonable. But as I've learned time and again listening to these shows, underestimate the callers' callousness at your own peril. In the time it took me to drive home I heard 3 callers side with the woman and 3 others side with the officers. Actually, they didn't so much side with the officers as side against the woman.
It's amazing enough that 50% of callers (in an admittedly small sample) saw no problem with what happened. But what really threw things over the top were the arguments each caller made. One man suggested that this was merely another case of a frivolous lawsuit being brought against the police, and if we didn't get such suits under control we wouldn't have a police force anymore. The man did not elaborate on what kind of circumstances it would take for there to be a justifiable lawsuit against the police. Perhaps if they shot an unarmed baby he might concede, although he also might argue that they would have no way of knowing what the bulge in the baby's diaper was actually concealing.
Another man said the story was just to fishy because anyone in their right mind would have called 911 instead of trying to drive to the hospital. The radio hosts suggested that the stress of being pregnant and bleeding might have meant the woman wasn't thinking completely clearly, or she might simply have not had a phone. The caller was having none of this, simply repeating his points and insisting that it just wasn't right.
The showstopper, however, was a woman who called and suggested that the pregnancy issue was a ploy to get out of being arrested. Her argument was that she used to work at some retail establishment and shoplifters would fake seizures to get out of arrests. Her claim was that if you could get yourself taken away from the scene in an ambulance, the police could no longer arrest you. Well that, of course, is completely inaccurate. But the woman argued about it with the hosts for a few good rounds. And when the hosts explained that no matter whether it was illegal or not this woman really did have a problem, she simply responded by declaring that it still didn't mean that she wasn't just trying to get out of being arrested. It was true because she "seen it too many times."
The compassion is rather astounding isn't it?
At least that seems to be the consensus everywhere but on the area's favorite right-wing radio station. I like to keep tabs on what is going on in the separate reality that calls AM home. Anyway, the local drive time show was covering this issue at length. The hosts who have taken over for Jerry Agar were taking the side of mainstream America on this one. They were pretty consistent in their comments that the officers were in big trouble and that they should be. It all seemed very reasonable. But as I've learned time and again listening to these shows, underestimate the callers' callousness at your own peril. In the time it took me to drive home I heard 3 callers side with the woman and 3 others side with the officers. Actually, they didn't so much side with the officers as side against the woman.
It's amazing enough that 50% of callers (in an admittedly small sample) saw no problem with what happened. But what really threw things over the top were the arguments each caller made. One man suggested that this was merely another case of a frivolous lawsuit being brought against the police, and if we didn't get such suits under control we wouldn't have a police force anymore. The man did not elaborate on what kind of circumstances it would take for there to be a justifiable lawsuit against the police. Perhaps if they shot an unarmed baby he might concede, although he also might argue that they would have no way of knowing what the bulge in the baby's diaper was actually concealing.
Another man said the story was just to fishy because anyone in their right mind would have called 911 instead of trying to drive to the hospital. The radio hosts suggested that the stress of being pregnant and bleeding might have meant the woman wasn't thinking completely clearly, or she might simply have not had a phone. The caller was having none of this, simply repeating his points and insisting that it just wasn't right.
The showstopper, however, was a woman who called and suggested that the pregnancy issue was a ploy to get out of being arrested. Her argument was that she used to work at some retail establishment and shoplifters would fake seizures to get out of arrests. Her claim was that if you could get yourself taken away from the scene in an ambulance, the police could no longer arrest you. Well that, of course, is completely inaccurate. But the woman argued about it with the hosts for a few good rounds. And when the hosts explained that no matter whether it was illegal or not this woman really did have a problem, she simply responded by declaring that it still didn't mean that she wasn't just trying to get out of being arrested. It was true because she "seen it too many times."
The compassion is rather astounding isn't it?
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
If only we could control the media...
says the media.
I spend a considerable amount of time defending the media to a couple of my rightward leaning friends. Of course, the left tends to have its own beef. Without any emprirical evidence to back me up, I would have to say the media is one of our most beleagured national institutions. I'm not saying they don't deserve criticism, they often do. But it does seem that if you got a big group of people with varying viewpoints together in the same room and asked them what we could get rid of to improve America, they might very likely decide on the media.
And from what I can tell if anyone would show up to defend the media, it would not be the media itself. Talking heads love to pound home the problems that media cause in our society. I saw an example of this in person earlier in the week, when I attended a presentation by a local media member. The media member described the media as a monolith that could exert its will and was uncontrollable. It creates our poor images of ourselves, encourages us to be passive, and manipulates all our thoughts and feelings. If I felt that way about my profession, I think I might not do it anymore.
I spend a considerable amount of time defending the media to a couple of my rightward leaning friends. Of course, the left tends to have its own beef. Without any emprirical evidence to back me up, I would have to say the media is one of our most beleagured national institutions. I'm not saying they don't deserve criticism, they often do. But it does seem that if you got a big group of people with varying viewpoints together in the same room and asked them what we could get rid of to improve America, they might very likely decide on the media.
And from what I can tell if anyone would show up to defend the media, it would not be the media itself. Talking heads love to pound home the problems that media cause in our society. I saw an example of this in person earlier in the week, when I attended a presentation by a local media member. The media member described the media as a monolith that could exert its will and was uncontrollable. It creates our poor images of ourselves, encourages us to be passive, and manipulates all our thoughts and feelings. If I felt that way about my profession, I think I might not do it anymore.
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